Insect control composition

Abstract

The present invention relates to an insect control composition comprising geraniol, at least 0.005 wt. % of pyrethrum, based on the total weight of the composition, optionally at least one active selected from the group consisting of p-Menthane-3,8-diol, peppermint oil, thymol, eucalyptus oil, citronella oil, basil oil, citral, lemongrass oil, and combinations thereof, and a solvent; wherein the weight ratio between the geraniol to the pyrethrum and optionally the at least one active is between 0.25:1 and 50:1. The invention further relates to an insect control product comprising said insect control composition and an emanation device. The invention also relates to a use of said insect control composition or said insect control product to kill, knockdown and/or repel insects.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An insect control composition comprising:
 between 0.5 wt. % 10 wt. % of geraniol, based on the total weight of the composition;   at least 0.005 wt. % of pyrethrum, based on the total weight of the composition;   optionally at least one active selected from the group consisting of p-Menthane-3,8-diol, peppermint oil, thymol,  eucalyptus  oil, citronella oil, basil oil, citral, lemongrass oil, and combinations thereof; and   a solvent;   wherein the weight ratio between the geraniol to the pyrethrum and optionally the at least one active is between 0.25:1 and 50:1; and   wherein the solvent comprises at least one aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon solvent selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbon solvents having a flash point of at least 50° C. and a boiling point of at least 150° C.   
     
     
         2 . The insect control composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the ratio between the geraniol to the pyrethrum and optionally the at least one active is between 0.5:1 and 40:1. 
     
     
         3 . The insect control composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the solvent comprises at least one aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon solvent selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbon solvents having a flash point of at least 60° C. and/or having a boiling point of at least 190° C. 
     
     
         4 . The insect control composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises between 1 wt. % and 10 wt. % of geraniol, based on the total weight of the composition. 
     
     
         5 . The insect control composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises between 0.025 wt. % and 7.5 wt. % of pyrethrum, based on the total weight of the composition. 
     
     
         6 . The insect control composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises at least 0.01 wt. % of the at least one active selected from the group consisting of peppermint oil, thymol,  eucalyptus  oil, citronella oil, basil oil, citral, lemon grass oil, and combinations thereof, based on the total weight of the composition. 
     
     
         7 . The insect control composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one active is selected from the group consisting of p-Menthane-3,8-diol,  eucalyptus  oil, citronella oil, basil oil, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The insect control composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises at least 80 wt. % of the solvent, based on the total weight of the composition. 
     
     
         9 . The insect control composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition is an insect repellent composition or an insecticide composition. 
     
     
         10 . An insect control product comprising:
 the composition according to  claim 1 ; and   an emanation device, wherein said emanation device is selected from the group comprising an electric heating device, a piezo electric diffuser, and an ambient emanation device.   
     
     
         11 . The insect control product according to  claim 10 , wherein the insect control product is an insect repellent product or an insecticide product. 
     
     
         12 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A method of killing, knock-down, and/or repelling insects in an area of interest comprising the steps of:
 a. providing the insect control product according to  claim 10 ,   b. providing an emanation rate of the insect control product during the operation ranging between 0.02 to 0.5 g/h, and   c. reducing the insect population in said area of interest by at least 10% as compared to the same period of employing the method when such composition is not used.   
     
     
         15 . The insect control composition according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
 the ratio between the geraniol to the pyrethrum and optionally the at least one active is between 0.75:1 and 30:1;   the solvent comprises at least one aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon solvent selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbon solvents having a flash point between 60° C. and 150° ° C. and/or a boiling point between 190° C. and 500° C.;   the composition comprises between 2 wt. % and 8 wt. % of geraniol, based on the total weight of the composition;   the composition comprises between 0.05 wt. % and 5 wt. % of pyrethrum, based on the total weight of the composition;   the composition comprises between 0.1 wt. % and 20 wt. % of the at least one active selected from the group consisting of peppermint oil, thymol,  eucalyptus  oil, citronella oil, basil oil, citral, lemon grass oil, and combinations thereof, based on the total weight of the composition; and/or   wherein the composition comprises at least 85 wt. % of the solvent, based on the total weight of the composition.   
     
     
         16 . The insect control composition according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
 the ratio between the geraniol to the pyrethrum and optionally the at least one active is between 0.75:1 and 20:1;   the solvent comprises at least one aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon solvent selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbon solvents having a flash point between 60° C. and 140° C. and/or a boiling point between 190° ° C. and 400° C.;   the composition comprises between 0.1 wt. % and 2.5 wt. % of pyrethrum, based on the total weight of the composition;   the composition comprises between 0.5 wt. % and 15 wt. % of the at least one active selected from the group consisting of peppermint oil, thymol,  eucalyptus  oil, citronella oil, basil oil, citral, lemon grass oil, and combinations thereof, based on the total weight of the composition; and/or   wherein the composition comprises between 85 wt. % and 95 wt. % of the solvent, based on the total weight of the composition.   
     
     
         17 . The insect control composition according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
 the ratio between the geraniol to the pyrethrum and optionally the at least one active is between 0.75:1 and 15:1;   the composition comprises between 0.25 wt. % and 1.5 wt. % of pyrethrum, based on the total weight of the composition; and/or   the composition comprises between 1 wt. % and 10 wt. % of the at least one active selected from the group consisting of peppermint oil, thymol,  eucalyptus  oil, citronella oil, basil oil, citral, lemon grass oil, and combinations thereof, based on the total weight of the composition.   
     
     
         18 . The insect control product of  claim 10 , wherein the emanation device is an electric heating device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein at least one of:
 step (b) is further defined as providing an emanation rate of the insect control product during the operation ranging between 0.02 to 0.4 g/h; and/or   step (c) is further defined as reducing the insect population in said area of interest by at least 30% as compared to the same period of employing the method when such composition is not used.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein at least one of:
 step (b) is further defined as providing an emanation rate of the insect control product during the operation ranging between 0.02 to 0.3 g/h; and/or   step (c) is further defined as reducing the insect population in said area of interest by at least 50% as compared to the same period of employing the method when such composition is not used.   
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein said insects are flying insects. 
     
     
         22 . A method of killing, knock-down, and/or repelling insects in an area of interest comprising the steps of:
 a. applying the composition according to  claim 1  to an emanation device selected from the group consisting of an electric heating device, a piezo electric diffuser, and an ambient emanation device to produce an insect control product,   b. providing an emanation rate of the insect control product during the operation ranging between 0.02 to 0.5 g/h, and   c. reducing the insect population in said area of interest by at least 10% as compared to the same period of employing the method when such composition is not used.